Greek word · G3732

ὄρνεον

orneon

bird

Bird, fowl. The word is general, but in practice it is often used of wild birds and birds of prey.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

ὄρνεον, -ου, τό = ὄρνις,

[in LXX chiefly for צִפּוֹר ;]

a bird: Revelation 18:2 19:17, 21 (Hom., al.).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

Range of meaning: Bird, fowl. The word is general, but in practice it is often used of wild birds and birds of prey.
Against the English: “Birds” (most versions) is accurate. NLT's “vultures” makes the implied scavengers explicit. KJV's “fowls” now misleads, because modern English hears domestic poultry.
How it drifted: English “fowl” once meant any bird (compare “fowls of the air”). It has since narrowed to chickens, ducks and game birds.
Used elsewhere in the period: Only in Revelation in the NT (18:2; 19:17, 21). The Septuagint of Ezekiel 39:17 has “every winged bird” (ὀρνέῳ πετεινῷ) together with the beasts of the field. In Rev 18:2 fallen Babylon becomes a haunt of “every unclean bird.”

Range of meaning: Bird. In use it often means wild birds, especially birds of prey and scavengers, as opposed to domestic fowl.
Against the English: Modern versions say 'birds'. The KJV's 'fowls' meant any bird in 1611, but today it suggests chickens and poultry. That misses the vultures circling 'in mid-heaven' (19:17).
How it drifted: In modern English 'fowl' has narrowed to mean domestic or game birds.
Used elsewhere in the period: In the New Testament only in Revelation: 18:2 (fallen Babylon becomes 'a haunt for every unclean bird'), 19:17, 19:21. The scene borrows from Ezek 39:17–20, where God tells 'birds of every kind' to come to his sacrificial feast on Gog's army.

Revelation · 3

Revelation 18:2 ὀρνέου bird

And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.

Here: A bird, and in Revelation especially a bird of prey or carrion bird (19:17, 21). The ruined city is a perch for vultures, owls and ravens, the birds of desolation in Isaiah 34:11.
Revelation 19:17 ὀρνέοις birds

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,

Here: Birds in general. In this context they are the carrion-eaters (vultures, kites, eagles) that gather over a battlefield. The same word is used in 18:2 for the “unclean birds” haunting fallen Babylon.
Revelation 19:21 ὄρνεα birds

And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Here: Birds in general. Here they are the high-circling carrion birds (vultures, kites, ravens) of 19:17, birds that eat corpses.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.